The Secrets that We Keep
by grangergirl22
Summary: He hadn't seen her in five years and it seems that a lot had changed for both of them. Everyone has secrets, but what will happen now when certain secrets are told? Genderswap!Rachel is actually Richard. Mentions of Brittana and Quinn related pairings.
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone. I've this in mind for a while and was finally able to get some of it out. I am continuing my other story, but I just wanted to write something else for a change. Flashbacks are in _italics_.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do NOT own Glee.

The Secrets that We Keep

"I only get to visit a few times a year and I still get stuck with doing the grocery shopping." Richard Berry complained aloud to himself, "Oh well, it's like there is anything else to do while Dads are a work."

Richard hummed to himself as he pushed his cart slowly down the frozen food aisle at the local Kroger. He finally had a few weeks off between projects so he took full advantage and came home to Lima to visit his parents. He had just finished a run on Broadway playing Tony in West Side Story and a break away from the city was exactly what he needed.

"Lots of frozen veggies?" Richard mumbled, "What the heck kind of list is this? It's hard to believe grown men compiled a list like this. And don't they know fresh vegetables would be better?"

Richard looked up just in time to stop his basket just before he ran it into the woman who currently had her head in the freezer, clearly having to dig for what she was looking for. The blonde pulled out two bags of black eyed peas and stepped back to let the freezer door close.

"Quinn?" Richard asked in disbelief.

The blonde turned toward the voice, her hazel eyes widened comically before she became stoic again, "Berry."

"Wow," Richard breathed out, "You look…," _beautiful as ever_, "how are you?"

"I'm good. There's no need to ask how you are. I saw the Tony Awards. Congratulations." Quinn told him with a small smile, "No surprise you won, it's no secret here how well you've done for yourself."

Richard's cheeks blushed slightly. "Thank you, Quinn. That means a lot coming from you."

Quinn just smiled a little in response.

"So what are you doing now? How was Yale? I haven't heard anything about how you've been since I left for New York. I'm sure you've done amazing things. Tell me everything, spare no detail." Richard told her excitedly.

Quinn swallowed thickly, "I didn't-"

Quinn was interrupted by a soft voice and a tug on her coat, "Momma."

Quinn's eyes closed briefly before she directed her gaze to the little girl at her side, "You know not to interrupt adults when they're talking, baby."

"I sworry Mommy." The little girl replied shyly.

"It's alright." Quinn told her as she rubbed her hand through the little girl's hair, "What'd you need baby?"

Richard's eyes fell to the little brunette at Quinn's side and he felt like someone hard hit him right in his stomach. He stared at the little girl who had slightly tanned skin and Quinn's beautiful eyes that were partly shielded by dirty blonde locks.

"Just one, okay sweetie?" Quinn told the little girl.

"'tay Mommy." The little girl said before she deposited a box of pop tarts in the shopping kart before trotting back down the aisle to put back the other box she had clutched in her small hands.

Quinn watched her until she was headed back in her direction before she turned back to her old classmate with a sigh.

"I didn't actually get to see much of Yale." Quinn told Richard who looked at her with sad eyes.

"She's beautiful Quinn." Richard told her honestly as he eyes fell to the child who was looking at him from behind Quinn's leg.

"Are you da man from da T.V?" The little girl asked him.

Richard looked at her with a sly smile before looking to Quinn, "Like I said. We saw you on the Tonys."

Richard crouched down so he was at the little girl's height before he addressed her, "Yes, that was me. My name is Richard Berry. What's yours?"

The little girl came out from around Quinn's leg and leaned back against her mother while she spoke to the man in front of her, "Melody Fabray. Like in a song."

"Like the melody of a song?" Richard asked, earning an enthusiastic nod in return, "Do you like to sing?"

Melody nodded more franticly, "A whole wot."

Richard smiled, "Me too. I would love to hear you sing sometime. I bet you have a very nice voice. Did you know that your Mom and I use to sing in our high school Glee club together?"

"Yep, Mom said you were a welly good singer then too. And annoying." Melody told him as she took a step toward him.

Richard smirked up at Quinn before turning his attention back to the girl, "Well your Mom is a very smart lady, and I hope she told you that she had an elegant voice then that was like no other. I'm sure you know that though because I'm sure you've heard her sing a time or two, huh? If you ever need vocal lessons I would be more than happy help. You're a star in the making, I just know it."

"Weally Mr. Berry? That would be so cool!" Melody told him, her eyes lighting up, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Sure thing Kiddo." Richard told her with a beaming Richard Berry smile.

"Richard." Quinn whispered softly, "Don't make promises to her you can't keep."

"What? I'm in Lima for a few weeks because I have nothing going on in New York at the moment. I'm always ready and willing to help a young ingénue." Richard told her honestly.

"Alright! See Mom? Thank you Mr. Bewry." Melody said before she launched her tiny body into his arms.

Richard had caught her just in time and braced himself with one of his hands so he wasn't knocked over by the force of her impact. Richard placed his hand on her small back as she squeezed her little arms around his neck.

"You're welcome kiddo." Richard told her as he looked up from his crouched position at Quinn who was looking the other way.

Richard sighed internally; he should have known Quinn wouldn't want him to hug her child. She could barely stand him as it was.

Richard stood up when Melody released him from her hug. He shuffled from foot to foot before working up the nerve to ask Quinn if they would like to have lunch with him later. He just really wanted to catch up with Quinn. She had obviously been really busy over the past five years.

"So Quinn, I was wondering if you ladies wou-" Richard asked before he was cut off my a familiar voice.

"Ready to go Baby Momma?" Puck asked as he walked up to Quinn's side holding a six pack of beer.

He placed the beer in the cart before he noticed Richard standing in front of them, "What's up, Dick?"

"Puck, watch your language!" Quinn scolded.

"What? It's his name." Puck told her, pointing toward Richard.

"Not in front of Mel it's not." Quinn chastised.

"Oh, right. Sorry Q." Puck replied before looked back at Richard, "So how ya been man? What brings you to town? Quinn made us watch the Tonys. Nice job Jewbro, ya made us proud. And who was your date? Is that what chicks look like NYC cuz daayum bro."

This certainly wasn't anywhere near the first time in his life that Richard wanted to punch Noah Puckerman in the face. He got the feeling on many occasions actually, but he almost always was able to resist the urge.

"I'm in town visiting my dads. Thank you Noah, and Lilian is just a friend." Richard said as he smiled tightly at his old friend.

"Friend, right." Puck replied with a wink. "How long are you in town? We should grab a beer while you're here. Guys night out. I'll invite Finn too."

There was nothing on the planet that sounded worse to him right now than spending any amount of time with either of his old classmates. He was fairly certain that falling blindly into a swarm of starving sharks while covered in blood was more appealing than hanging out with Finn Hudson and the man who didn't just impregnate the love of his life once, but twice now apparently.

He could see Quinn trying to stifle a laugh by biting her bottom lip and grinning slightly, her eyes shining with laughter.

Richard grinned too, "Sure Puck." At least this way maybe he would get to see Quinn again soon.

"Awesome Jewbro. What's your number? I'll talk to Finn and see when we can all get together and we'll call you."

Richard gave Puck his number and bumped Puck's offered fist before turning to say goodbye to Quinn.

"It was really good seeing you Quinn." Richard told her shyly, "I hope it won't be five more years until the next time."

"You'll see her if you make it over to the house while you're here. No need to get all sentimental Berry." Puck told him as he put his arm around Quinn's shoulder.

"Right." Richard told him before he turned his gaze toward the little brunette who had been watching silently the whole time. "And you little star, it was wonderful to meet you as well."

"It was nice to meet you too, Mr. Bewry." Melody told him before she took her mother's hand. "Don't forget about our singing wessons."

"I won't, I promise." Richard told her with a smile. "You all have a nice day."

"Later." Puck said before he took the cart from Quinn and started toward the register.

Quinn smiled at him softly before she spoke, "Goodbye Richard."

"Goodbye Quinn." Richard replied, an old familiar ache growing in his chest.

"Come on baby." Quinn said as she led Melody toward the front of the store who turned and waved at him with a wide smile.

When Richard returned to his house he put away the groceries he had bought before he trudged up the stairs to his room. He sighed and made his way over to his bed to lie down. He let his mind wander and he thought about how often that he had lay just like this and thought of the most beautiful hazel eyes he had ever seen. Quinn had been a fixture in his life since he was seven years old and he was willing to bet his Tony Award that there wasn't a day that had gone by that he hadn't thought of the girl in some capacity.

He closed his eyes and let himself go back to when he had first met Quinn Fabray and he smiled to himself.

_It was the first day of the third grade and his Daddy Leroy had been the one to drop him off at school that morning._

_"Bye Daddy." Richard told his Leroy as he gave him a goodbye hug._

_"See ya later, son, have a good day. Your Dad is picking you up okay?" Leroy told him as he patted his head._

_"Okay, love you." Richard said before he turned to find an empty place to sit._

_He walked over to a boy who had his Game Boy out pecking away at the buttons and pulled the chair but the other boy pulled it away from Richard with his food. "I don't think so fag. You ain't sitting by me."_

_Richard frowned before looking for another seat. He spotted a dark headed girl alone at a table so he made his way over to her._

_"Do you mind if I sit here?" Richard asked her softly._

_The girl looked up from her drawing and Richard was met with the most gorgeous shade of hazel he had ever seen looking at him from behind thick framed glasses. She girl seemed surprised that he was even talking to her, but she smiled anyways and nodded her head._

_"Sure." She replied._

_"My name is Richard. What's yours?" Richard asked her._

_"Lucy." The girl told him in a soft as she continued her drawing._

_Richard watched her as she concentrated hard on what she was doing. He let he eyes fall to the paper she was drawing on and smiled when he saw she was drawing the night sky. There were stars sprinkled around the paper and a moon with 'Lucy' drawn out in perfect cursive across the top of the paper._

_"That's a really cool drawing Lucy. I really like the stars. Stars are a metaphor for me, for the star I'm going to be when I'm all grown up." Richard explained to her as he smiled._

_Lucy giggled and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose with her finger before she responded, "You're funny Richard."_

_Richard blushed slightly, "Lucy, can we be friends?"_

_"Yes," Lucy replied, "I've never really had a friend before."_

_"Me either." Richard told her with a bright smile, "But there's a first time for everything, right?"_

_"Yeah." Lucy replied, "Do you want to draw with me? I have some color pencils in my backpack."_

_"Sure!" Richard said excitedly as he scooted his seat closer to his new friend. "I'm not any good at drawing like you are, but it looks like fun."_

_"I could show how to draw a star if you want, since you like them so much." Lucy told him casually._

_Richard beamed, "I think you're the bestest friend ever, Lucy! I would love for you to show me."_

_"Okay!" Lucy replied happily, "Watch closely, you do it like this."_

_Richard nodded before he watched her intently._

_"Like that, see?" Lucy said as she finished drawing the star and smiled at him, "Super easy."_

_All he could do was smile in return._

_The next day at recess Richard and Lucy were playing near the monkey bars when a group of boys ran by them and pushed Lucy down._

_"Watch it Lucy Caboosey!" Noah Puckerman said as he pushed her. "Your fat butt is taking up to much of the play ground."_

_"Shut up Noah!" Richard said as he crouched down beside his friend to check on her._

_As soon as he saw that Lucy was crying and that she had scrapped her knee when she fell he patted her back and stood up and faced Noah._

_"Say you're sorry Noah." Richard demanded, "That wasn't very nice."_

_"I ain't tellin Caboosey anything." Noah said before he took a step toward Richard, "And you ain't gonna do anything about it."_

_Noah laughed and turned to look at the other boys that were behind him and they were laughing to. Richard looked over at his friend that was still sitting on the and he watched her as she wiped tears off of her cheek._

_"Aww come on. Don't be a crybaby too Caboosey. It's not our fault you're f-ahhhh"_

_Before Noah could even finish his sentence Richard had taken a step forward and for the first time in his life punched someone right in the face._

_"I told you to shut up, Noah." Richard seethed._

_"I'm telling your Dad when I see him at Temple. You're gonna be in so much trouble Richard." Noah said, nearly in tears as he wiped the blood off his lip._

_Richard ignored him and the other boys as he turned and crouched down beside Lucy who was looking at him in disbelief. Richard inspected her scrapped knee before he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a white handkerchief and started to wipe off the dirt and what little blood was on Lucy's knee._

_"When I get hurt like this my Dads put this clear stuff on it that burns, but then they blow on it and it feels better after a few seconds. Then they give me a kiss on my forehead and ruffle my hair and tell me I'm a tough guy, but we don't have any of the stuff that burns to put on your cut so I this is going to have to do for now until you get home." Richard told her as he surveyed his handiwork._

_"And since you're not a guy I won't call you a tough guy and since I can't really try to make you feel better that way so I hope this will be okay." Richard told her before he pressed his lips lightly against her cheek before pulling away and smiling brightly._

_"Do you feel better already, Lucy?" He asked hopefully._

_Lucy sniffled away the last of her tears and nodded her head. "Thank you Richard. I'm really glad you're my friend."_

_"Me too Lucy." Richard told her before he stood up and offered her his hand, "Come on, let's go swing a little before recess is over."_

Richard smiled sadly to himself as he opened his eyes. He sighed and rolled over on his side to get more comfortable on his bed. That was when it had started for him. More than half his life time ago he met Quinn Fabray, well Lucy Fabray. Lucy someone got lost in translation somewhere between them being friend and Quinn parting the halls of William McKinley like Red Sea in her flawless cheerleading uniform. Lucy was his best friend and Quinn was an untouchable goddess who nearly always ignored his existence. He understood why and he couldn't hold it against her. He was everything that was uncool about high school and Quinn was everything in his life that was perfect.

He wasn't sure of the exact moment in his life that he fell in love with her, but everything after that was like a blur of secrets, lies, and a lot of unrequited love. What Richard didn't know was that wasn't even the half of it.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Review if you wish.**

Let me know if you guys want me to continue this or not. I'm not sure if you guys will like it or not. : /

**- G**


	2. Chapter 2

Wow guys, thanks for all the feedback so far! You guys are awesome. Here's chapter two! Hope you like it.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do NOT own Glee

Chapter 2 – For Your Own Good

The blaring sound of his cell phone woke Richard up a few hours later. He pulled the phone out of his back pocket and looked so see who was calling. _Jackie_, perfect.

Jackson Tyler had been Richard's manager/agent/friend for nearly four years now. Jackson also happened to be Kurt Hummel's long time boyfriend. He and Kurt had met Jackie shortly after they had moved to New York to attend NYADA when they both landed a role in _RENT_. Jackson knew how to network and had connections all over the Broadway scene. Shortly after meeting him, Jackie took him and Kurt under his wing and made sure they met the right people and showed face at all the right events. In no time at all Richard was landing big role after big role while Kurt broke away from Broadway and started a high priced line of clothing in men's fashion. Jackson was one of the best at what he did. He was fierce and looked out for Richard and his career as if it were his own and Richard trusted him immensely.

"Talk to me Jay." Richard said as he answered the call.

"Were you asleep?" Jackie asked him.

"Uh yeah, dozed off for a few minutes." Richard answered.

"You never take naps. Won't this effect your mandatory eight hours?" Jackie joked.

"I'm on vacation. I'm like obligated to relax or it's not really a vacation." Richard explained.

"Of course. I mean I don't blame you or anything. There is nothing to do in that cow town, which brings me to why I called. I would like you back in New York soon. I'm sure I can find you something to do in your down time besides sleep." Jackie told him, "If you want I can book you a real vacation. Somewhere warm. Or Paris perhaps, I know you've been wanting to go back."

"I'm fine here Jackie. I came to spend some time with my Dads and that's what I'm going to do." Richard stated as he got out of bed.

"Perhaps Hiram and Leroy would enjoy Paris. I bet Lilian Michaels would want to go with you. She's very interested Richard, I think you should give her a call." Jackie said, trying to sound casual.

"Jackie, come on! Do you have some kind of vendetta against Ohio? Sweet Barbra, I'm only going to be here a few weeks." Richard said, getting frustrated. "And I'm not calling her. The last thing I need is someone who wants to ride my coattail."

Jackie laughed, "I don't think it's your coattail she's wants to ride, Richard, I'm just saying."

"I'm not talking to you about this, Jackson." Richard stated sternly.

Jackie huffed, "Fine. I'll be in touch."

"Okay, bye Jay." Richard replied.

"Oh and Richard..." Jackie started. "Nevermind, Kurt's beeping in. Talk soon. Bye."

Richard looked at his phone is confusion before he pocketed it again. "I don't know why I associate myself with those two."

Richard went to the bathroom to wash his face and came out feelings a little more refreshed. He heard voices coming from downstairs so he headed down to see his Dads.

"Hey guys." Richard greeted his fathers.

"Hey Son." Hiram greeted.

"Hey Bud." Leroy said with a wide smile. "You have a good day Rich?"

"It was okay. How did you guys day go?" Richard asked.

"Mine went well. Not a really busy shift, which is always good. I'm gonna go get changed out of these scrubs. Be back in a jif." Hiram said as he headed toward his and Leroy's bedroom.

"What's on your mind?" Leroy asked Richard softly, "You okay?"

Richard sighed softly before replying, "Yeah Pop, I'm fine."

Leroy looked at him thoughtfully before opening the cabinet and pulling out two glasses which he placed on the counter. He pulled the water jug out of the fridge and poured them both a glass and leaned back against the cabinets and looked at his son again.

"Want to try again? I know we don't get to see each other as often as we all use to but you're still our son. I know when something is bothering you." Leroy told him.

Richard looked at his glass of water before he drank half of it. He sat his glass back down and looked up when Hiram came back into the kitchen.

"Well I feel much better. What do you guys want for dinner? I'm starving." Hiram asked as he walked into the room.

Hiram looked at his son and husband and then at the two water glasses sitting on the counter between them. "What's wrong?"

"I think he was about to tell us when you came in actually." Leroy told him. "Go ahead Rich, you know you can tell us anything, you know that."

Richard took another sip of his water and brushed his fingers against the condensation on the glass.

"I ran into Quinn Fabray and Noah Puckerman this morning at the grocery store." Richard explained, "Why didn't you guys tell me Quinn still lived here?"

Hiram's expression hardened while Leroy looked sympathetic. "We don't keep up with Quinn Fabray, Richard."

"But you guys knew, you had to have known. Lima isn't that big for goodness sake. And you see Ms. Puckerman at Temple, Dad. Puck and Quinn have another kid and by the look on your face I find it hard to believe that's new information for you." Richard said angrily, "Why didn't you guys mention it? You two gossip like old women about everything else."

"Why would we tell you that?" Hiram asked him, "We are so tired of seeing you hurt over of that girl. Why would we tell you they had another kid? I mean it looks like she would've learned her lesson after the first time she got pregnant. Has she never heard of birth control? Protection? I think she gets pregnant every time she has sex with that boy. Why would we tell you when we all remember act _rashly_ you acted the last time that girl got knocked up? We didn't tell you for your own good." Hiram responded loudly, "I don't even want to think about how you would've reacted this time. That girl is trouble, nothing but-"

"That's enough Dad!" Richard shouted, "I am well aware of what Quinn is or isn't."

"Your conception of that girl is completely clouded. You're blinded by your feelings for her. You always have been. She's never even given you the time of day, Son. Never! Why do you keep pining after her when it's a lost cause? She is real estate agent in _Ohio_. You are a successful well accomplished actor in _New York_. Your face has been plastered across a building in Time Square. You have a Tony Award and you're only twenty three years old. Move on, Son, thoughts of her only bring you down."

Richard stood up from his chair and walked over to the sink and filled up his glass with water and took a few gulps before he sat the empty glass down gently then turned to his father.

"You have _no_ idea what thoughts of Quinn bring me." Richard told his father sternly, "I'm going for a drive. I won't be back for dinner."

Richard grabbed his coat off the back of one of the kitchen chairs before he swiped the keys to his rental off the table and slammed the front door on his way out.

Leroy looked down at his husband and frowned, "We only get to see him a few times a year and when he's finally actually home, after _three_ _years_, you do this?"

Hiram hung his head shamefully, "I just wish he would realize he could do so much better than that girl."

"We don't get to choose who he loves, honey." Leroy told his husband, "But I do know that if you run my baby out of this house again you will be sleeping on the couch for a _very_ long time."

"I'll apologize to him." Hiram replied before Leroy pulled him into a hug.

"You better." Leroy replied, "And please try not to mention Quinn, okay?"

"Okay." Hiram before opened the fridge and tried to decide on what to make for dinner.

Richard was furious as he left his Dads house. He jumped into his rented Audi and tore out of the driveway with no real destination in mind.

"I can't believe they kept this from me. They raised me to be an honest man. Ha! That's a freaking joke." Richard said aloud to himself.

He pulled into a gas station and went to buy the biggest Smart Water he could find and something to eat. He couldn't believe that he had come home and had been reduced to disgusting gas station food.

He ended up leaving with outrageously unhealthy amount of potato wedges and a water to drink. He tossed the bag in his passenger seat and decided that the park was probably the best place for him to go.

When he got to the park he found an empty bench and took a seat. He pulled out his IPhone and started playing the most ridiculously addicting game in the world, _Angry Birds_.

Richard was so completely sucked in by the flying birds that he didn't even realize he had company for several minutes.

On the ground in front of him sat a little drown Doxen dog wearing a blue collar. Richard looked at the dog for several seconds before the little dog started to wag his tail.

"Hello." Richard said to the dog, "Aren't you a cute little man."

The Doxen then stood up and wagged his tail again.

"What is it?" Richard asked the dog, "Are you hungry? I have disgusting greasy food that I'm not going to eat if you want some."

The Doxen licked his lips and stepped closer to Richard who broke off a piece of a wedge and held it out for the dog who took it immediately.

Richard smirked and offered him another piece, then another.

"You're going to spoil your dinner little man." Richard told him but fed him another piece anyway.

_"Andy! Andy, come here boy! Andy!"_

Richard looked up and saw a little girl who looked about four calling loudly for _Andy_. Richard turned back to the dog and arched an eye brow, "Are you Andy by any chance?"

The dog wagged his tail and waited expectantly for another piece of food. Richard gave him a piece and reached for the dog's collar and found _Andy_ printed across the front.

_"Andy!"_

"I think she's missing you. You better get back over there boy." Richard told the dog, "Come on little man, before she gets too worried."

"Andy!" The girl called, sounding desperate now.

Richard stood up and patted his leg for the dog to follow him before they made their way across the park toward the girl. Once they got closer the little girl saw her dog and took off running toward them.

"Andy! I thought you runned away!" The little girl called as she got closer to her dog.

The girl looked up and laughed when she saw Richard. "Mr. Bewry you found Andy!"

"Melody? Where is your Mom?" Richard asked before looking around for Quinn. "Who's watching you?"

"Mommy went to the bafroom. Santa's watching me." Melody explained, "Come on, you can meet Santa."

Richard laughed and let Melody pull him off toward the playground equipment. From practically out of nowhere Richard found himself wrapped up in a tight hug from a bubbly blonde that he hadn't seen in years.

"Richard! Q said you were in town and I was hoping we would get to see you! I missed you!" Brittany told him as she hugged him tight. "Come on, let's go find S before she gets really worried. We were looking for Mel because she ran off."

"It's great to see you Britt." Richard told her. "Do you live around here too?" He asked before leading Melody by the hand after Brittany.

"Of course not, Silly. Me and S live in Columbus. We're just here visiting Q." Brittany explained.

"Well done Berry. You found Britt, Little Bit, and the demon dog all in one try." Santana said as she spotted them, "Little Bit please don't run off again, Q would kill me if something happened to you."

"But Andy ranned away." Melody explained.

"I know, but next time you tell me and we'll find him together okay?" Santana told her softly.

"Okay Santa." Melody agreed.

"Have a seat Berry. Tell us about New York, I hear you've done well for yourself." Santana said as the pointed toward the picnic table they had been sitting at.

Richard sat at the table across from Santana and Brittany before he replied, "Yeah, I've been working steady, that's the important thing."

"That's it?" Santana asked in disbelief, "You're not going to brag about how well you've done? No paragraph long annoyingly detailed explanation of how you won that Tony?"

"No." Richard replied as Melody climbed up into his lap with her doll, "No need to brag about anything I've done Santana. We've all accomplished things since high school. Britt said you guys are living in Columbus, what do you guys do?"

Santana looked at him curiously as he smiled softly at Melody who is talking quietly to the doll she was holding.

"Who are you and what have you done with Richard Berry?" Santana asked him seriously. "What happened to you needing applause to live? And not a single trace of argyle anywhere in sight."

Richard chuckled at Santana's expression, "I do still love a good standing ovation Santana, and New York is really amazing, but there are other things in life that I desire besides the spotlight."

"Like what?" Santana asked sarcastically, "A love affair with Barbra Streisand?"

Richard's eyes drifted from Santana's face to the woman approaching the table behind them, "Quinn."

"Yeah well, I don't-" Santana started before she realized he wasn't looking at her.

"Sorry it took so long guys. I got caught up talking to a client." Quinn said as she approached, "Richard, what are you doing here?"

"Your kid and dog drug him over." Santana explained quickly, "It wasn't us."

Quinn's eyes drifted from Santana to Richard then to Melody who was still perched in his lap playing with her doll.

"I see." Quinn said, "Well it's time we got going anyways. We need to get home and get dinner started. Puck should be home in an hour or so."

"Uh yeah Q, good idea. I'm starving." Santana said as she stood up quickly and started packing away their things that were laid out on the picnic table.

Richard picked up Melody off his lap and sat her on top of the table before looking at his old friends.

"Umm if you ladies are interested, we could all go out to eat somewhere after Puck get's home. My treat." Richard said as he nervously stuck his hands into his pockets.

Santana cocked her eyebrow at Quinn who shook her head immediately, "No, I don't think so. Puck is usually pretty tired when he gets home. Thanks anyway Richard."

Richard nodded his head in understanding, "Okay, maybe next time then."

Brittany frowned before she walked over and wrapped her arms around him, "I'm so sorry." She whispered directly into his ear so only he could hear.

Richard wasn't really sure why Brittany was apologizing, but he didn't think anything of it because nobody ever really understood Brittany besides Santana, and sometimes Quinn.

"It's okay. We'll catch up next time Britt-Britt." Richard told her before she released him for her hug.

Brittany walked back over to Santana who wrapped her arm around Brittany's shoulder and pressed her lips right next to her ear before Brittany nodded seconds later.

"Later Berry." Santana called before she led a frowning Brittany toward the parking lot.

"Bye guys." Richard called, waving goodbye. "Bye Quinn."

"Bye Richard." Quinn replied, "Come on Mel."

"Bye Mr. Bewry. Thank you for finding Andy for me." Melody told him as she trotted over and hugged his leg quickly before hurrying back to her mother.

"Not a problem Kiddo." Richard replied, "Goodnight ladies."

Quinn just waved quickly in response before she took Melody's hand and headed after Santana and Brittany.

Richard sighed sadly before he turned and walked back across the park toward his car. Once he got there he got in and reclined his seat back slightly so it was more comfortable.

"Maybe Dad is right. No matter what I do she will never want to be with me. She doesn't even want to be friends anymore. Why, why, why can't I stop loving her? Why can't I let her go?" Richard said to himself. "God, please help me let her go."

If only it were that easy.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Review if you wish.**


	3. Chapter 3

Hey all, here's chapter three. It's mainly flashbacks so let me know what you know think. All will be revealed soon, I promise. Thanks for all the comments, alerts, and favorites so far. You guys are great.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Glee.

Chapter 3 – More Than a Memory

_It had been over two months since Richard had seen Lucy Fabray. They didn't get the chance to speak at all during summer vacation before their eighth grade year since Lucy's father Russell didn't think too much of Richard's fathers or him by extension. It didn't matter how much time had passed of how much either one of them had changed Richard would know that profile anywhere._

_Lucy was at her locker straightening out her books as Richard smiled at the sight of her. Richard knew that he had changed a lot over the summer, but Lucy, she had changed even more. She seemed taller and thinner than he had ever seen her before, but the biggest difference was her face, even from the side he could tell something was different besides the fact that her glasses were gone._

_She hadn't noticed him walking up so he slid behind her and greeted her, "Hey stranger", before he slipped by and leaned his back against the lockers beside her._

_"Richard! How are you? How was your summer?" Lucy asked him with a smile, still organizing her locker._

_"Good. How was yours? You look…different." Richard told with a smirk._

_"I would hope so! I finally got rid of those horrid glasses because Daddy let me get contacts." Lucy told him, without making eye contact._

_Richard scrunched his brow, there was something else but he couldn't put his finger on it._

_"Well they suit you, not that there was anything wrong with your glasses, but without them your pretty eyes are more visible." Richard told her with a soft smile._

_Lucy blushed lightly before looking him directly in his eyes, "You're just being nice."_

_That's when it clicked, her nose looked different, but it couldn't be, it wasn't possible because people's noses don't change over the summer. His brow furrowed again because apparently Lucy's did because he knew it was different and it wasn't because of the lack of glasses._

_"What are you looking at?" Lucy asked him softly._

_"Why does…your nose, it looks different." Richard commented, sounding confused._

_Lucy's face flamed red before she turned back to her locker, "You can't tell anyone Richard," she whispered._

_Richard's jaw clinched and he shook his head in disbelief because there was just no way his assumptions was correct. But then again, this was the Fabray's he was thinking about._

_"Tell anyone what exactly, Lucy?" Richard asked quietly._

_Lucy was staring off into the book filled confines of her locker as she answered, "Daddy…he let me get a nose job. Please don't tell anyone."_

_Richard straightened up and looked down at her seriously, "Why? You didn't need it."_

_"I did." Lucy replied, "It was grotesque. I will never be popular looking like I did."_

_"Lucy, are you kidding me? You were beautiful. You are beautiful. You didn't need a nose job to make you pretty and you don't need to change anything about yourself to make others like you. You're perfect the way you are." Richard told her in a quiet tone, "And come on, I mean if anyone needs one it's me, my gosh look at this thing." Richard joked as he rubbed his nose._

_Lucy giggled and pulled his arm away from his face, "Don't. It suits you."_

_"Are you saying my big nose is proportional to my big face?" Richard asked with a faux hurt expression on his face._

_"No you goofball. It's just you, you don't need to change. Besides what would Barbra say?" Lucy asked him, her perfect eyebrow arched with practiced ease._

_"My God, you're right!" Richard declared loudly, "She would be absolutely outraged."_

_Lucy laughed before she placed a book from her locker in her backpack, "Why are you so sweet to me Richard?"_

_Richard grinned at her and bumped his shoulder softly with hers, "Because you're my girl.'_

_"What's up fag!" Dave Karofsky called loudly as he shoved Richard into the lockers before continuing down the hallway._

_"That's a rude way to greet people David!" Richard called after him._

_Dave turned around and flipped him off as he walked backwards a few steps before turning around again to continue down the hall._

_Lucy's face held a look of disgust before she slammed her locker and shouldered her backpack, "I don't care what I have to do or what it takes, but I have promised myself that by the time we get to William McKinley next year I will find a way to be popular so I don't have to deal with these idiots."_

_"He's so repressed." Richard mumbled before he turned his friend, "Don't let them bother you. Like you said, they're ignorant. They think they're cool now, but one day, all these people will work for me." Richard told her confidently._

_Lucy smiled at his diva like antics, "Even me?"_

_Richard scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous, Lucy, you'll be greater than all of us. Come on, I'll escort you to class."_

_Lucy just smiled in return._

Richard was pulled out of his dream by consistent knocking on his door, "Come in Dad."

Hiram popped his head in the door, "How'd you know it was me?"

"Because Pop knocks like a regular person." Richard replied as he stretched. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to attend Temple with me this morning." Hiram asked, sounding hopeful. "Rabbi Hirsch has been in Jerusalem for a month so we're having somewhat of a service this morning, but I know it's going to turn into more of a social thing. Even your Daddy is going, so would you be interested?"

"Of course Dad. Give me about thirty minutes and I'll be ready." Richard said as he got out of bed.

Hiram smiled excitedly, "Great! We'll be downstairs. Oh and Rich, I'm need to apologize to you for yesterday. I-"

"It's fine. I'll be down in a few minutes." Richard told him as he headed to the bathroom.

Hiram nodded slightly before he shut the door.

Nothing had changed in the Synagogue in the few years it had been since Richard at been in it. There were only a few new faces and the old ones greeted him warmly and made him very welcome. The Berrys took up their usual seats as the rabbi talked of his travels over the past month. He joked but made his underlying message clear as he spoke to those who were listening to him.

Richard's mind was wandering, his eyes roaming around the room, taking in all the familiar things that he had looked at countless times before. His eyes found Noah Puckerman who had his arm draped over the back of the pew behind his sister and mother who sat beside him. Richard guessed that Noah and Quinn were raising their daughter in the Catholic faith, which wasn't surprising to him at all. Richard watched as Puck smiled down at his sister listening to something she was whispering to him. It was apparent how much Puck cared for his family. He knew that Puck wasn't that bad of a guy, he knew better than most probably because there was a time in his life that he and Puck were great friends. Being the only two Jewish boys in Lima that were their age allowed them to share a bond that they couldn't with anyone else. During their sophomore year of high school Richard severed their friendship ties to all but a thread when Puck confessed to him about Quinn.

Puck knew. He knew for years that Richard had feelings for the blonde girl. Puck had been interested in girls long before Richard was, or any of their other guy friends that he knew of for that matter so girls was a continual topic if Puck was around. Richard could remember when he told Puck about his crush on Quinn, who was still Lucy then. Puck teased him of course and commented that the blonde was _no Santana Lopez_. Richard smiled softly at the memory because he could remember thinking how grateful he was that Lucy was nothing like Santana because even then the girl had an attitude from hell.

Middle school had turned into high school in a flash and freshmen year into sophomore year. Old friends grew apart and new friendships were made. Some got into sports and some into clubs, on the student council, or in Richard's case the Glee Club. Name calling got worse and progressed to Big Gulp cups filled with slushy. Lucy became Quinn before his very eyes and _God she was beautiful_. Even on the arm of Finn freaking Hudson she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Even if her eyes didn't look at him with playful laughter anymore they still forced the air from his chest whenever they found his own.

_It was a random afternoon at Puck's when he found out. They sat in the floor leaned back against Puck's bed both had an Xbox controller in hand playing the latest Modern War._

_"Nice one Jewbro." Puck shouted as he gave Richard a high five. "That's what I'm talkin bout."_

_Richard smiled in thanks, "One more round and I gotta call my Dad. I have homework to finish before tomorrow."_

_"Alright cool." Puck replied, "Dude…I kinda need to tell you something anyways."_

_"Yeah?" Richard asked, "What's up man?"_

_"The other night I hooked up with someone." Puck explained, "and you're my Jewbro so I just thought I should tell you."_

_Richard laughed, "Puck if you told me every time you hooked up with someone we'd talk _a lot_. Was it-"_

_"It was Quinn." Puck told him quickly._

_Richard stopped laughing immediately and felt slightly sick. "Quinn Fabray?"_

_"Dude, do we even know another Quinn?" Puck asked him as he mashed buttons on his controller, "I just wanted to tell you so you'd hear it from me since I know you like her or whatever. Sorry Bro."_

_Richard looked at with a steeled expression before sitting his own controller down on the carpet, "I've gotta go."_

_"Dude, come on. Finish the game. She's just a girl. Bros before hoes, Rich, come on man." Puck told him as he paused the game._

_So many things flooding his mind at once that it was hard for him to think of any one thing at all as he fumed hotly in the middle of Noah's bedroom._

_"She was a-a-a virgin." Richard managed to get out, the last word leaving his mouth in a mere whisper._

_Puck's lips curled slightly, his face wore a look of pride, "I know. She was so tigh-"_

_"Shut up, Noah, I don't want to hear about it. You-she's with Finn. He your best friend!" Richard seethed, "How could you do that?"_

_"Dude, I'm a sex shark. If I stop moving, I die." Puck responded in his own defense, "Plus, who wouldn't want a chance to deflower the queen of the chastity ball?"_

_Richard turned his head from the Puckermans back to the Rabbi who was still talking about who knows what and allowed his mind to drift again. He didn't speak to Noah for weeks after that. He didn't take the news from Puck very well, but that was nothing compared to how he felt in the hallway of William McKinley when he overheard Quinn drop the bomb of a lifetime on Finn Hudson._

_It was the sight of tears falling down Quinn's pale cheeks that caught his eye at first. He was at his locker trying to mind his own business, fine he was straining to eavesdrop, when he saw Quinn crying in front of Finn only a short ways down the hallway. The giant oaf was trying to comfort her and asking her what was wrong while Richard was pulling a book out of his locker and tilting his ear more toward the conversation that was taking place._

_"I'm pregnant." Passed thought Quinn's soft lips and Richard felt the way Finn looked._

_Richard' eyes widened as the book feel from his hands and smacked the tile floor at his feet that drowned out Finn's response._

Richard closed his eyes and frowned to himself before looking back to the Rabbi who was still smiling and talking.

_Weeks later so much had changed at McKinley. Quinn, Santana, and Brittany had joined Glee Club along with Finn, Puck, Mike, and Matt. It didn't take long for the news of Quinn's pregnancy to spread around McKinley like wildfire. Sue Sylvester promptly kicked Quinn off the Cheerios as soon as she found out and left Quinn at the bottom of the social chain. Richard quickly rallied the Glee Clubers together and they put together a special number just for Quinn and he could remember standing right next to her during the Keep Holding On number and watching her cry. He had never had the urge to reach out and take someone's hand so badly as he did in that moment. He wanted to grab her hand and press a kiss to the back of it just to try to make her understand that he would always be there for her. Just as he reached his hand out Finn stepped between them and took Quinn's hand in his own._

_It wasn't long after that when Quinn found out she was having girl and Richard overheard Quinn practically at Finn to get job because she was receiving past due notices at her house for her unpaid doctor's visits. After Finn got frustrated and left Quinn alone in the hallway Richard approached her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder to get her attention._

_"Hi Quinn." Richard said as he greeted her with a smile._

_"Hi Richard." Quinn sighed as she leaned back against the lockers, "Did you need something?"_

_Richard still smiled softly as he searched perfect hazel and his heart ached over what he saw. Quinn had the weight of the world on her shoulders, but still managed to look like an angel and all he wanted to do was help her._

_"What is it?" Quinn asked, quickly losing his patience._

_"You're glowing." He told her._

_"I'm nauseous." Quinn replied hotly._

_You're beautiful was on the tip of his tongue but all he did was smile before forming words he could actually voice, "If there is anything I can do for you Quinn just let me know. I'll be here for you, whatever you need."_

_"I don't need your pity, Richard." Quinn responded loudly._

_"I don't pity you, I care about you, big difference." Richard replied, "And I mean that, Quinn."_

_"Finn and I can do this on our own, but thank you for your concern." Quinn responded before she turned and walked away._

_Richard sighed as he watched her go, he knew she was just trying to hold on to what little pride Quinn felt like she had left._

_Then next day Richard caught up with Puck in the hallway on his way to class._

_"Noah, can we talk for second in private?" Richard asked Puck as he fell into stop with the football player._

_"Oh, so now you wanna talk? You haven't spoken to me since I told you about Quinn. What do want?" Puck asked._

_"Not by choice I assure you." Richard told him before he pulled Puck into an empty class room._

_"I need you to give this to Quinn." Richard explained as he handed Puck an envelope. "I know she won't take it from me so I need you to give it her."_

_Puck opened the flap of the envelope and his eyes widened as he ran his thumb over the one hundred bills that were in it, "Dude, there's like a few thousand bucks in here. Did you knock over a bank?"_

_"There is three thousand dollars in there and you better give every single cent that's in there to Quinn. That is for her and that baby girl. She has doctor bills to pay and there will be more to come I'm sure. You and Finn are completely useless so someone has to help her. I have been saving and saving for New York for years, but Quinn needs help so I took the money out of my account yesterday." Richard explained to Puck, "She gets all of it. Do you understand?"_

_"Yeah, God dude, I'm not gonna steal from my own kid." Puck assured him._

_"I would hope not. Give it to her today. Those bills need to be paid before the Fabray's find out the hard way. See you in Glee." Richard told his old friend before he headed to class._

Richard. Richard.

"Richard!" Hiram called louder, "Are you ready to go? Service is over."

"Oh, of course Dad." Richard replied before he got up and followed his Dad's out.

"Rich!" Noah called as he jogged up to his friend, "I'm surprised to see you here."

"Hey Noah. Yeah, my dad wanted me to come with them so I couldn't say no." Richard explained.

Noah smiled in understanding, "Yeah, the old guys missed you. I've was gonna give you a call today anyways. Wanna go grab a beer this Friday night with me and Finn?"

"Sure," Richard agreed reluctantly, "Sounds…fun."

Noah grinned, "Cool. I'll text you our address and you can just meet us at the house before and we'll ride together. Sound good?"

"Yeah, sure." Richard said, "Just text me address and I'll be there."

"Will do. Later man." Puck said before offering his first to Richard who bumped it. "Bye Mr. Berrys!"

"Later Noah." Richard replied.

"Have a good one Noah." Hiram said as Puck threw them a wave.

Later that afternoon the Berrys were all sitting down to lunch when Richard's cell rang in his pocket. He checked it before excusing himself from the table.

"Talk to me Jay." Richard said as he answered.

"How was church this morning Rich?" Jackie asked him politely.

"How'd you know I went to Temple? Having me followed Jackson?" Richard joked.

"Nah, not this time. The Paps are onto you though. They got a cute picture of you, your Dad, and Noah Puckerman standing around chatting and one of you and Noah fist bumping. How sweet." Jackie replied.

"How'd you know that was Noah I was talking to?" Richard asked him curiously.

Richard was met with a few seconds of silence before he got his answer, "Kurt told me. Yeah, Kurt told me who he was."

"Oh, right." Richard replied, "You need anything else? My Dads and I were having lunch."

"No. No. No. That's all I wanted. Say hello to them for me." Jackie answered, "Talk soon, Rich."

"Bye Jay." Richard said as he hung up the phone before heading back to try to enjoy the rest of his lunch with his Dads.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Review if you wish.**


	4. Chapter 4

Hey yall, sorry about the long wait. Life gets in the way and all that. Also, after the On My Way episode I just couldn't _even_ with Glee for awhile. I'm sorry. I'm really going to try to update my other story next. To those of you who are still interested in this one I hope you enjoy. Much more to come. Soon, hopefully! Flashback are in _italics_.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do NOT own Glee.

Chapter 4 – Anyone Else but You

"So you and Noah are making plans together, Rich?" Hiram asked his son as they sat around the dining table eating their lunch.

"I suppose. He asked me to go out for a guys night with him and Finn Hudson. They want to go grab a beer or something I think. It's not really my idea of fun, but it is kind of nice to see old friends again." Richard told his Dads with a shrug.

"It'll be good for you Rich. You hardly ever just get to hang out with a buddy. Most of your nights out that you tell us about seem work affiliated, you might have fun, you never know. Just don't go bringing any girls home." Leroy joked, which received an eye roll from Richard. "No hanky panky here."

"Please honey, Rich has never even had any girls over while he lived here, so I don't think you have anything to worry about." Hiram joked in return.

"I've had girls over." Richard interjected, "Quite a few times actually thank you very much."

"When?" Leroy and Hiram asked at once. "Family members don't count, Son." Hiram teased.

Richard huffed and sat back in his chair and looked at his amused fathers. He knew they were just joking around with him, but were completely serious at the same time.

"I don't know what you guys mean. I've even had a party here before while you guys were out of town. So ha! Shows how little you two know." Richard told them with a smile.

"You don't say…impressive. You must've cleaned up pretty well after yourselves since we never suspected a thing." Hiram replied with a grin.

"Yep, not a thing, well, not until we wanted to make a drink one night and found our liquor cabinet drained and found a few red plastic cups behind the couch in the basement while we were Spring cleaning." Leroy added and he and Hiram shared a laugh.

"Why didn't you guys ever bust me out?" Richard asked bemused.

"We were just glad you were getting out of your shell, Rich. Nothing was broken and no one was hurt, and I trust you didn't let anyone drive under the influence. We felt that as long as it wasn't a common occurrence then we were happy that you happy and had real friends to chillax with." Hiram explained.

"Right, well, first off, Dad, don't say chillax. Second, thanks, but I was fine, you make it sound like I was a depressed kid or something." Richard told his fathers.

"You did worry us quite a bit. You were always happy except when it came to that girl-" Hiram started but was cut off by his husband.

"Hiram, do not start." Leroy told him, all playfulness gone from his voice.

Richard looked at Leroy in thanks before he took a sip out of his cup and cat it back on the table.

"I want you guys to realize that you can't keep blaming Quinn for things that happened in the past. It's not her fault, it's mine, it was all me. My decisions, mine. Please realize that and stop blaming her for things that she had no control over. It's not her fault that she didn't feel for me what I felt for her, so please just stop. Quinn never did anything wrong. Alright?" Richard stated, his voice wavering a little.

"Deep down we know that, Rich, but it's just hard for us as parents to not place the blame somewhere when you're feeling sad or hurt about something. Ya know?" Hiram told him with a sad smile. "We knew the first time you confessed the depths of your feelings for her that we would have trouble on our hands. We were and always will just want what's best for you, Rich, and that never has been her. Just sayin."

Richard sighed and slouched down in his chair a little bit. He rubbed his brow with his hand before sighing again. He remembered the moment when he told his Dads about his true feelings for Quinn Fabray and he had to admit if he were in their shoes, it wasn't exactly the best first impression.

_Richard came through the front door of the Berry house in low spirits. The cat had been officially let out of the bag about the true identity of the father of Quinn's baby that day in Glee club and his nerves were on edge. Puck and Finn had gotten in a fight, Finn quit Glee Club, and Quinn didn't even want to talk to him when he approached her to check on her after it all went down. All in all it had been a pretty terrible day but he felt relieved as he walked in his house. He was exhausted in every sense of the word and all the wanted was some rest._

_"Richard!" Leroy called from the kitchen as soon as Richard had shut the front door behind him, "We need to speak with you."_

_Richard walked in to the kitchen and found both of his father's standing next to the table with their arms crossed over their chests looking more mad than he had ever seen wither of them. Lying on the table in front of them were some papers, but he couldn't make out what they were until he got closer. Richard swallowed dryly before looking back at his Dads._

_"Explain." Hiram barked, pointing toward the bank statement lying on the table in front of them, "Do not lie to us."_

_Richard stood silent as he stared at the papers. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and stayed silent._

_"Richard, your father asked you a question and we except an answer. Now, why did you take three thousand dollars out of your savings account?" Leroy demanded._

_"It's my money I can do what I want with it." Richard whispered toward the kitchen floor._

_"Excuse me? What did you just say?" Hiram asked in disbelief, "You better hand us back that money, Son, or there will be serious consequences."_

_"I don't have it." Richard told them softly._

_"What!" Hiram yelled._

_"Are you on drugs?" Leroy asked loudly._

_Richard looked at Leroy in confusion as they pushed him closer and closer to the edge he had been tip toeing on since Puck confessed to him about being with Quinn._

_"That would explain it. You've been acting strange for weeks. You never talk to us anymore. We have no idea what's going on with you and the three grand disappears into thin air. We want some answers, now Richard." Leroy demanded again._

_"I gave the money to Quinn." Richard revealed, his voice cracking as he tried in vain to keep his tears at bay._

_"You what?"Hiram asked in disbelief, "Your friend from school! Richard what were you thinking?"_

_Richard stepped forward and collapsed into the kitchen chair and pressed his face into his palms._

_"She's pregnant Dad. I didn't know what else to do. She needs someone so badly and I just want to help her. She's so scared and her parents don't know yet." Richard explained, his words barely understandable as he tried to hide his tears._

_Hiram and Leroy's faces both paled as they looked at each other and then back to their distraught son._

_"I love her so much. I just wanted to help her. She doesn't have anyone else she can rely on." Richard explained further._

_All of the feelings he felt for Quinn. All of the love that he had felt for her for years came pouring down his cheeks in the form of tears. All the hurt he felt about Puck betraying their friendship, the hurt he felt at Pucks confession, and all the fear he felt for Quinn consumed him as he gasped for breath and tried to calm down._

_He felt two comforting hands on his back as his Dads knelt down other both sides of him._

_"Oh Son, we had no idea, but could have came to us. You can tell us anything sweetheart." Hiram told Richard as rubbed his back._

_"We had no idea you and Quinn were…imtimate." Leroy said, the surprise clear in his voice, "Rich, we would've helped with some sort of contraception if we'd just known -"_

_"The baby isn't mine, Pop. I never would have been so irresponsible. She's Noah's baby." Richard whispered softly. "He knows I'm in love with her. He knew and he was with her anyway."_

_"Oh sweet heart, teenage boys don't always think rationally, obviously." Hiram told him. "It's okay to be there for Quinn as a friend, but please talk to us before you do anything else rash. I understand why you did it, but just don't do it anything like this again. Ever."_

_Richard nodded in response knowing good and well that if Quinn needing anything he would gladly give it, regardless of what his Dads said._

Richard sighed and rubbed his brow again before he sat upright in his chair again.

"Quinn being the topic of conversation between us has never gone well Dad, we should probably stop before it gets worse." Richard stated evenly, "I know how you feel and you know how I feel, let's just leave it at that."

"But Son-"

"No Dad. don't . If Daddy had decided that he wasn't gay or rather couldn't handle the lifestyle, as your first love, would you have been able to just forget about him? Could you just forget about the way he makes you feel and easily move on to someone else?" Richard asked him frankly.

"No, of course not, he's the love of my life." Hiram answered, "But it's different because I know what it's like to experience him loving me in return."

Richard nodded in understanding, "Right. Think about how it is to feel his love returned. Think about that then think about how it feels to be in love together. Think about how it felt the first time you saw him and the first time you knew you were in love with him. I know what some of that feels like to me and that's enough. I might not have ever had the privilege of having Quinn openly love me like you have had with Pop, but there is so much more to Quinn and I than you know, and I will not let you discredit anything we've had together just because I'm not married to her and we won't live happily ever after. I've accepted that, but yet, my heart still after all this time longs to be hers and I suspect it always will."

"So romantic." Leroy said as he reached his hand out to pat his son's hand, "You get that from me."

The three men chuckled at Leroy's sentimental ways. Hiram observed his Son's face before mentally putting the topic of Quinn Fabray to bed. He wouldn't ever understand his son's hang up on the girl, but he just knew he didn't want to argue pointlessly over it any more.

"We should do something fun tonight, guys. We should do to the community theater and catch a show. Who's in?" Hiram asked excitedly.

"Yeah, sounds great Dad." Richard said with a smile.

"Me too! Family night out sounds like a great idea, Sweetie." Leroy agreed.

"Excellent. I'll call and see what production they are putting on this evening. I believe it was Phantom last I heard." Hiram said as he headed out of the kitchen to track down the cordless phone.

"Rich." Leroy said, getting his son's attention, "I know we've given you a lot of flack about Miss. Fabray in the past, but we just want you to be happy. She's a very beautiful woman, hell if I were younger I'd almost consider going straight for her."

"Daaaad, come on." Richard said.

"Hey, I'm just sayin is all. Girlfriend's does have it going on, I'll give her that." Leroy teased again.

"Seriously Pop, should Dad be worried?" Richard teased back. "Does he know you check out younger women?"

"Oh he knows." Leroy joked. "He does it too."

"You guys are weird." Richard said, looking at his Daddy in mock disgust.

"You love us." Leroy told him.

"Only because I'm obligated." Richard joked, "I'm gonna go shower."

Once up in his room Richard peeled off his t-shirt and tossed it into his dirty clothes basket that was mounting quickly. His mind ventured to where it usually did in his idle time, to Quinn. He thought about what he had said to his fathers downstairs. He wondered if he would ever find another woman that he felt as strongly for as he did for Quinn. His heart knew that he wouldn't, but he could always hope. He looked at himself in the mirror and wondered what she saw in Puck that she didn't see in him.

Richard shook his hair that was getting a little shaggy for his own taste and brushed his hair to the side. He allowed his thoughts to go back to the spring semester of his sophomore year and thought for the first time in a long time of his once best friend Jesse St. James, of his mother Shelby, and by extension Beth. Those few months of the end of that school year were very trying for everyone. He could remember the day he met Jesse St. James and how they came quick friends. Richard had never met anyone who had such an ambition for music and success as he himself did. As it turned out the ruse Jesse and Shelby ended as quickly as it came since Shelby realized she really didn't want a teenage child in her life. Richard remembered feeling hurt about Shelby's change of heart, but as much as it hurt, he was overcome with a different feeling when Shelby told him outside the nursery at the hospital that she was adopting Beth.

Richard felt relieved that it was going to be Shelby who adopted her. Beth would grow up surrounded by music and talent. Richard knew that Shelby would be honest with Beth about Quinn and Noah and make sure Beth understood that they both loved her very much, but they were just too young to give her the life she deserved. But most of all Richard felt relieved because she felt that Shelby would treat Beth and love her in almost the same way Quinn would and he would be forever grateful to his mother for that. He remembered standing right beside Shelby when they brought out the small baby girl so Shelby could hold her. Richard looked down at the tiny baby who was sure to have Quinn's eyes and already had Quinn's nose and a tuff of blonde hair on top her head.

"_She's beautiful." Shelby said softly as she smiled down at the baby._

_"Of course she is, she's half Quinn, but for your sake I hope she doesn't act like her father when she gets older." Richard told Shelby and they shared a small smile._

_"I'm going to go see if Quinn's awake yet. Goodbye Shelby. Take care her." Richard told Shelby before he turned his eyes back to the infant wrapped in a fluffy pink blanket. "Goodbye Beth." Richard whispered softly to the baby before he leaned down and pressed the softest of kisses to the baby's head that wasn't covered by her blanket._

He thought Quinn seemed to be handling the adoption pretty well as the last few days of that school year closed out. It wasn't until after a month into his summer vacation did Richard even see Quinn. She showed up at his house one morning out of the blue and that's when he realized how much of a toll it had really taken on Quinn.

_The ringing of the doorbell brought Richard down the stairs fairly early that morning. Richard opened the front door to his house and his eyed widened at the sight of Quinn standing on the door mat with her hands linked behind her back looking somewhere between exhausted and shy._

_"Quinn, hello." Richard said after an unknown amount of time just looking at the girl. "Please come in."_

_"Hi." Quinn responded as she stepped over the threshold of the Berry house for the first time._

_Quinn's eyes wandering around taking in everything around them. Richard observed his friend and smiled softly at the sight of her. When her eyes finally landed on his own Richard felt the same familiar warmth that she always brought him._

_"Can we talk?" Quinn asked him softly turning her eyes away from him._

_"Of course Quinn. Let's go up to my room. Would you like something to drink? Have you had breakfast?" Richard asked, suddenly feeling nervous._

_"I'm fine Richard, but thank you." Quinn replied._

_"Okay. My room is this way." Richard said as he gestured toward the stairs._

_Once in his room is waited patiently as Quinn looked around his room. She stood with her back to him as she looked at a picture of the Glee Club from that year. It was the picture of all of them from the year book._

_"How is your summer going, Quinn?" Richard asked as he sat on the foot of his bed._

_He saw Quinn's shoulders visibly tighten before she spoke, "Have you spoken to your mother recently?"_

_"No, I haven't." Richard told her regrettably. He knew Quinn was only asking because of Beth._

_Quinn's shoulders slumped before she turned to face him and when she looked at him he could see that she was fighting back tears. He was off his bed in a flash wanting desperately to comfort her, but unsure if that's what she wanted._

_Quinn's hands settled over her now flat stomach, "I miss her. I miss her so much and I didn't even get to see her for more than a few minutes before they took her away. I know I had to let her go, but I had no idea it would be this hard."_

_Richard stepped closer to his friend and gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs._

_"When you were a baby did you ever wonder about Shelby? Do you hate her for not being in your life?" Quinn asked him sadly._

_"Quinn," Richard cooed as he pulled her into a hug, "I know you're afraid, but Beth won't hate you. When she's old enough, she'll understand that you did what you thought was best for her. You're her mother and she'll love you for carrying her and giving her the best life that you could."_

_Quinn buried her head against Richard's t-shirt and sobbed. He just held her tighter and rubbed comforting circles on her back trying to sooth her._

_"I miss my baby. She's all I had for so long. Sometimes I wake up at night after rolling over and my hands automatically go to my stomach to check on her and she's not there and I feel so alone. I've lost so much and I feel so…lost." Quinn confessed softly against Richard's chest._

_Richard's heart ached at her admission, "I'm so sorry Quinn. I don't know what to say about Beth, but it's an open adoption so you will get pictures of her and you'll be able to see her and she'll know that you love her. She'll know, Quinn, she'll know."_

_He felt Quinn nodded slightly against him and he pressed his lips to the top of her head and kissed her hair, "And you'll always have me, Quinn. I will always be here for you. I know I'm not much, but I will do anything for you."_

_Quinn squeezed her arms tighter around his waist before she pulled away and looked up at him through her teary eyes and he brushed a lone tear off her cheek with the back of his fingers. Quinn reached her own hand up and wiped her eyes before they wandered over to Richards made bed._

_"Will you hold me?" Quinn whispered softly._

_Richard nodded silently before he pulled over to his bed and slid over to allow Quinn room to climb in as well. She lay on her side facing away from him and he slide over behind her as she pulled his arm around her. They both settled down contently and lay in silence until Quinn spoke sleepily._

_"Why are you so good to me, Richard?" Quinn asked._

_"You're my girl." He answered simply._

_Quinn pulled his arm to her chest and snuggled into his pillow before she drifted to sleep. Richard relished in this cuddle. He knew it was completely platonic to Quinn, but it didn't matter. This is the closest he had ever been to her and he knew without a doubt that the way he was feeling right now was like nothing else. He couldn't imagine feeling this way with anyone else but this beautiful girl right here._

_"I love you." He whispered into her hair._

_It didn't matter that Quinn was sleeping when he first admitted his love for her. All that mattered was the way he felt as she snuggled back into him and the smell of Quinn completely surrounding him. She wasn't the same Quinn had had been in the past and he knew that she was going through a lot, but he also knew that if she let him he would be there for her every single step of the way._

"Rich!" Leroy called through the door as he knocked.

"Yeah, Pop? It's unlocked." Richard called back.

"They are putting on Phantom at the theater, yay!" Leroy said as he stuck his head in Richard's bedroom door.

"Awesome, Pop. Funny how it's Dad's favorite when he finally suggests we go out and do something, huh?" Richard asked jokingly.

"Umhmm…he thinks he's sly but he's not."Leroy replied with a smirk. "Anyway, I'll let you get ready. Show starts at five o' clock."

"Alrighty, Pop. I'll be down when I get ready." Richard informed his Dad.

"Okay, Bud, see you in a few." Leroy said before he closed the door back.

Richard went into his bathroom and turned on the hot water before he finished shedding his clothes and climbed in.

A night out at the Lima Community Theater…now this should be fun.

**TBC**

**Thanks for reading. Review if you wish.**


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